Barry Callebaut expands chocolate production capacity in Singapore

Swiss chocolate and cocoa products company Barry Callebaut has expanded the production capacity at its Singapore facility with the addition of a fourth line.

The company noted that the new line at its Singapore chocolate facility, the largest in the country, would increase the volume of chocolate for the Asia Pacific market.

Barry Callebaut Asia Pacific president Ben De Schryver said: “We are very encouraged by the steady growth of Singapore’s food industry, which would not have been possible without the country’s strong reputation in food safety and quality.

“For us, this expansion in Singapore is also about paving the way for our business to be more efficient overall and bringing more innovations to the markets.”

The company said that its new production line can produce chocolate blocks of different volumes, all at a high-efficiency rate.

It said that with the addition of a new fourth production line, it will be able to cope with the increased demand from South-East Asian countries, South Korea and beyond.

Barry Callebaut has been present in Singapore for more than two decades. It opened its facility in the northern part of the country in 1997, and it is said to have since made multiple regional investments, including the acquisition of Singapore-listed Delfi Cocoa in 2013.

Each year, the company has been supplying a thousand tonnes of chocolate to global and local food manufacturers, artisanal and professional users of chocolate such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs, bakers, hotels, restaurants and caterers.

Barry Callebaut Senoko factory site manager Harley Peres said: “We have a wonderful history of chocolate making in Singapore because of the strong support from the Singapore government, in particular the EDB.

“Their recent guidance to my team helped greatly in completing this expansion project, achieving success during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

In May, Barry Callebaut brokered a deal to acquire Australia’s GKC Foods to expand its presence in the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed by either company.

Since 1980, GKC Foods has been manufacturing ‘Made in Australia’ chocolate and confectionery products, including organic and vegan chocolate items that are distributed in Australia and New Zealand.